New Scitech and Minderoo exhibition dives into the future of oceans

Scitech and Minderoo Foundation are bringing the wonder and future of our oceans into focus with a new feature exhibition.

Designed and built by Scitech in partnership with Minderoo Foundation, Oceans: The World Beneath the Waves takes visitors on a journey from the coastline to the deepest seas, exploring remarkable marine environments and the science, technology and innovation helping us understand and conserve them.

Scitech Chief Executive Officer John Chappell said the exhibition was designed to inspire a deeper appreciation of the importance of our oceans.

“Oceans cover 71 per cent of our planet and are essential to life on Earth, but their importance to us goes well beyond that,” Dr Chappell said.

“As part of this project, we heard from people across Western Australia about what the ocean means to them, and it’s clear how deeply it’s woven into our lives, whether through work, connecting with nature, looking after our health, and spending time with family and friends.

“Oceans is an exploration of our incredible marine environments, a conversation starter about their future, and an invitation to consider the role we can all play in caring for them.”

Designed for everyone from young children to adults, the exhibition brings ocean science to life through highly interactive and immersive experiences.

“Whether you’re experiencing what it’s like to explore the deep ocean from a submersible, learning about healthy ecosystems as a ‘reef DJ’, or becoming immersed in a giant kelp forest, we want visitors to connect with the wonder of oceans and the science behind it,” Dr Chappell said.

Minderoo Foundation’s $3.5 million commitment enables Scitech to not only engage and inspire visitors at the Discovery Centre in Perth, but also take the experience to audiences across Australia and around the world.

Following its 12-month residency at the Scitech Discovery Centre, Oceans will travel to Australian and international science centres, engaging hundreds of thousands of people globally.

A second regional travelling version of the exhibition will launch in Exmouth in June 2027 and bring the story of ocean conservation to communities throughout regional Australia.

Minderoo Foundation CEO John Hartman said the exhibition reflected the importance of making marine science accessible and inspiring people to take an active interest in the future of our oceans.

“We still have so much to discover and understand about our oceans, including the remarkable marine environments that sustain life on Earth. There is an enormous opportunity to deepen our understanding of these ecosystems and why they are so important to our future,” Mr Hartman said.

“Through our partnership with Scitech, Minderoo is helping bring the science, technology and innovation shaping our understanding of the oceans to life. By making these discoveries accessible and engaging for people of all ages, we hope to inspire greater curiosity about our oceans and the role we can all play in protecting them.

“Importantly, this investment will extend well beyond Perth. By taking Oceans to regional communities across Australia and to international audiences, we can share the wonder of our oceans with hundreds of thousands of people and help build a deeper appreciation of why it matters.”

Oceans: The World Beneath the Waves opens at the Scitech Discovery Centre in the Minderoo Foundation Feature Gallery on Saturday, 31 October.